JPH11165501A - Caster with lock detecting mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To detect a stopper in operation for the casters of a carrier that must be used in a fixed state. SOLUTION: A wheel frame 4 to which an axle 5 is attached is attached to the tip of the fixed shaft 2 extending from the bottom section 1 of a carrier through a flat face-like bearing so that the carrier can move in any direction. A lock plate 7 is secured to the wheel 6 attached to the wheel frame 4 to lock the wheel 5 while conducting seesaw movement, and an operation section 7a and drive end 7b are provided at both ends of this lock plate 7 to lock the wheel 6 by pushing up the side of the operation section 7a. The movable end 9a of the switch 9 provided in the bottom section 1 of the carrier is made to about on the disk-like pressing plate 8 fitted to the fixed shaft 2 with a play, on the other hand, when fixing the wheel 6, the drive end 7b provided in the lock plate 7 is raised to about on the pressing plate 8, and the pressing plate 8 rising resisting against spring force or gravity pushes up the movable end 9a for changing over the switch 9.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION A stopper is attached to a caster having a lock mechanism attached to the bottom of a moving device so that a signal during operation of the stopper can be detected by the moving device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A wheel mounted on the bottom of a device allows the device to be easily moved to any place, which is very convenient when the device is a heavy article. And
The wheel frame on which the wheels are mounted is fixed to the bottom of the moving device with a fixed shaft via a planar bearing, and by providing an axle eccentric from directly below the fixed shaft and orthogonal to the fixed shaft, it can move straight and bend when moving. This makes it possible to construct a caster that is compatible with ease.

On the other hand, when the place where the apparatus has moved is regulated, a caster with a lock apparatus is used, and the movable apparatus can be fixed and operated by operating a lock mechanism.

[0004]

When using a mobile device equipped with casters, it is preferable to use the mobile device in a fixed state from the viewpoint of safety. There are many things to expect from operation. However, actually, the operator may move the apparatus without operating the lock mechanism, and this may cause serious trouble depending on the apparatus.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention proposes a structure for detecting the operating state of a lock device. A fixed shaft 2 extending downward from a bottom 1 of a moving device is a flat bearing. The wheel frame 4 is erected from the center of the shaft 3 and is rotated by the bearings 3. The wheel frame 4 is provided with an axle 5 eccentric from directly below the fixed shaft 2 and orthogonal to the fixed shaft 2. The axle 5 is provided with a lock plate 7 that locks the wheels 6 by performing a seesaw motion around the axle 5 while the operation unit 7a provided on one of the lock plates 7 moves upward. In a caster with a locking mechanism that releases and moves downward and locks, a disc-shaped push plate 8 centered on the fixed shaft 2 is loosely fitted to the fixed shaft 2 and a movable end 9a is attached to the bottom 1 of the moving device. 8 with a switch 9 looking up The drive end 7b of the lock plate 7 opposite to the operation portion 7a abuts on the push plate 8 at the time of locking, and the push plate 8 rising against the spring force or gravity switches the switch 9 via the movable end 9a. It was done.

[0006]

A disc-shaped push plate 8 is loosely fitted on the fixed shaft 2 for attaching the caster to the bottom 1 of the moving device.
The drive end 7a of the lock plate 7 for locking the push plate 8 raises the push plate 8 when locked. A switch 9 is provided on the bottom 1 of the moving device, and the movable end 9a of the switch 9 is viewed through the push plate 8, so that the rising push plate 8 moves the movable end 9a to switch the switch 9. is there. For this reason, it becomes possible to use the moving device in an operating state when the switch 9 is switched to detect that the caster is locked, thereby improving safety.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The construction will be described below with reference to the drawings showing an embodiment.
A fixed shaft 3 is attached to the lower end and extends downward. Reference numeral 3 denotes a flat bearing attached to the tip of the fixed shaft 2, and 4 denotes a wheel frame which is rotated by the flat bearing 3. Reference numeral 5 denotes an axle mounted on the wheel frame 4 so as to be orthogonal to the fixed shaft 2 while being slightly eccentric from directly below the fixed shaft 2. Reference numeral 6 denotes a wheel that rotates about the axle 5. It is one block and forms a caster.

Usually, four casters are mounted on the bottom 1 of the moving device, and the axle 5 is mounted eccentrically from directly below the fixed shaft 2, so that the degree of freedom in the moving direction is increased, and by pushing the main body of the moving device. That can be moved to any location.

Reference numeral 7 denotes a lock plate which moves in a seesaw motion around the axle 5 outside the wheel frame 4, and 4a denotes a fixed projection projecting from the wheel frame 4 toward the lock plate 7.
When the lock plate 7 does not lock the wheel 6, the fixed projection 4
a is not in contact with the lock plate 7. Reference numeral 7a denotes an operation unit provided at one end of the lock plate 7, reference numeral 7c denotes a second operation unit provided at the other end of the lock plate 7, and the operation unit 7a moves upward to release the lock. When it is pushed down and moved, it is locked.

That is, when the operating portion 7a is depressed, the lock plate 7 performing the seesaw movement moves in the direction of contact with the fixed projection 4a, and at this time, the lock plate 7 prevents the end of the axle 5 from coming off. Then, the user rides on the fixed protrusion 4a of the wheel frame 4 and presses a piece of the wheel frame 4 toward the wheel 6, and the wheel 6 is strongly pinched by the wheel frame 4 and rotated. It can no longer be locked. Of course, the operation unit 7a is pushed up or the second
When the operation unit 7c is pressed down, the lock is released, and the wheel 6 can rotate freely.

In the caster having the above structure, reference numeral 8 denotes a disc having a disk shape centered on the fixed shaft 2 and having a play plate loosely fitted on the fixed shaft 2;
Reference numeral 0 denotes a spring for urging the push plate 8 in the direction of the planar bearing 3, reference numeral 7b denotes a drive end extending upward from the vicinity of the second operating portion 7c of the lock plate 7, and the tip of the drive end 7b has the disc-like shape. The end of the drive end 7b can always contact the push plate 8 even if the axle frame 4 rotates by the action of the planar bearing 3 because it is in contact with the push plate 8.

9 is a switch mounted on the bottom 1 of the moving device, 11 is a movable member for opening and closing a contact built in the switch 9, and 12 is a spring for urging the movable member 11 in a direction in which the movable member 11 is always in contact with the push plate 8. , 9a are movable ends which contact the push plate 8 and switch the contacts of the switch 9 by the movement of the push plate 8, and when the push plate 8 is raised by the drive end 7b of the lock plate 7, the tip of the movable member 11 is moved. The movable end 9a is moved upward against the spring 12, and switches the contact of the switch 9.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the switch 9, the movable member 11 and the spring 12 are integrally formed to constitute a switch mechanism as a whole, and this switch mechanism is attached to the bottom 1 of the moving device. is there. Therefore, as long as the switch has a contact switching lever, there is no need to particularly provide the movable member 11 and the spring 12, and the switch can be put into practical use.

As described above, the drive end 7b, the push plate 8 and the movable end 9a are linked by the position of the lock plate 7 to switch the contacts of the switch 9, so that the lock state of the lock plate 7 can be detected by the switch 9. When the condition of use of the moving device is that the caster must be fixed, the lock state can be known by the signal of the switch 9. Therefore, when the switch 9 does not detect the lock of the caster, the device is turned on. It can be made inoperable.

[0015]

There is a conventional caster equipped with a fixing device for the wheels 5, but this operation is left to the user, and the use condition of the moving device is fixed before use. In many cases, the device is actually used without being locked, and the device may move during use, causing a trouble. However, in the present invention, the locked state is set to the switch 9 attached to the bottom 1 of the device. Thus, the device can be controlled by the signal of the switch 9, and the trouble that the device moves during use is completely eliminated.

As a structure for this purpose, a disk-shaped push plate 8 is provided on the fixed shaft 2 attached to the apparatus, a switch 9 for detecting this movement, and a drive end 7b of a part of the lock plate 7 are provided. Therefore, it can be used anywhere without significant cost increase.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a movable state of a caster showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway side view showing a locked state of a caster showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway front view of a movable state of the caster showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway front view of a caster in a locked state according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Bottom part of moving device 2 Fixed shaft 3 Planar bearing 4 Wheel frame 5 Axle 6 Wheel 7 Lock plate 7a Operation unit 7b Drive end 8 Push plate 9 Switch 9a Movable end

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A fixed shaft 2 extending downward from a bottom 1 of a moving device is erected from the center of a planar bearing 3, and is fixed eccentrically to a wheel frame 4 rotated by the bearing 3 from directly below the fixed shaft 2. An axle 5 orthogonal to the axle 2 is provided, and a wheel 6 is attached to the axle 5 so that the moving device can be moved in an arbitrary direction. The axle 5 performs a seesaw motion about the axle 5 to lock the wheel 6. In a caster provided with a lock mechanism, which is provided with a lock plate 7 and an operation portion 7a provided on one side of the lock plate 7 moves upward to release and moves downward to lock, a disc-shaped push plate 8 centering on the fixed shaft 2 is provided. A switch 9 which is loosely fitted on the fixed shaft 2 and whose movable end 9a is viewed from the push plate 8 is provided on the bottom 1 of the moving device, and the drive end 7b of the lock plate 7 opposite to the operating portion 7a is pushed when locked. Abuts plate 8 and resists spring force or gravity Casters lock detection mechanism, characterized in that switching the switch 9 via the push plate 8 is a movable end 9a rising Te.